Women's Fashion Tips Posts: Trendy fashion advice to can-do ageless chic- women's clothing that always looks right for you!

Adventures in Extremes- The shearling jacket… Rag and Bone or Old Navy

I'm doing the math here on this fashion double-take and one jacket is $2,420.06 less than the other. How can you not love the Rag & Bone Shoreditch Shearling Jacket? But at $2,500, timeless or otherwise, it may be a bit too much style for your bank account. Enter Old Navy's Women's Faux-Shearling Moto Jacket at $79.94. Quality-schmality, it's cute as a button and will get you through some very stylish occassions. Just saying, it's a smart buy. And, it comes in plus size too! Did you see our earlier post today about The Best Coats of the Season? We've got an UGG & Shearling Boots Shopping Guide too

For all their dualities, from the practical set to the sophisticated sort, the winter coat is one considerate, sartorial godsend...especially as New York City is getting its first slam of cold weather. Keeping in mind the functionality one needs from outerwear, we understand that winter weather combat gear's performance is more important when determining what one wears than judging by looks alone. And since one wears their coats consecutively more over winter months than any item of clothing, careful consideration on the look of your coat as essential as it is, has been made all the more enticing this season considering the fresh updates we've seen. As important as a shield, as easily statement making as eyewear, and a finishing touch like the right jewels, the right

Think of this as your "How To Wear Low Heels" tip sheet... Blame it on the abundance of too-high heels, walking behind girls fumbling in them, or our admiration for the cool retro sophistication that Rochas has been championing as of late, but we are beginning to rethink the short heel and their recent wearable reemergence on the scene. Once matronly and down-right blase, the updates to what we consider the "smart" heel height offer an entirely new way to think about proportion and comfort. From gram to grand slam, there's plenty out there to give you an alternative to ho-hum ballerina flats. >> SHOPPING GUIDE: Low Heels We'll take the printed Rochas slingbacks above and our top three picks as featured below and

Besides the now iconic cone bra's he outfitted Madonna for in the early 90's, the highly controversial Hasidic-inspired collection for Fall 1993 and the many in-your-face ethnic influenced collections ripe with rigorous tailoring that have followed, fashion's original enfant terrible, Jean Paul Gaultier, will forever be a designer who's done much more than that in our books. Long before today's mega names associated with showmanship like John Galliano and Alexander McQueen, there was Gaultier. From indigenous garb to religious connotations to hi-camp athleticism, Gaultier has dazzled the fashion world with a heady tour de force of provocative, imaginative creations brought to life with a hearty dose of brazen wit and fierce execution. Possessing the kind of game changing substance that informs one on the sublime delicacies that high French fashion will

First Lady Michelle Obama wearing a Tracey Reese sweater

I'll Have What She's Having: Michelle Obama Plays With A Twist On A Classic In Chicago For A Cause We've been a lull on our Michelle Obama style watch for a while, but this striped Tracey Reese sweater got our fashion engine going again for some can-do, every day style chic. While in Chicago yesterday to promote healthy eating initiatives in low-income areas, style maven Michelle Obama radiated a cool playfulness in a classic ivory and black striped sweater from Tracy Reese that featured an asymmetrical key-hole cut-out and an unexpected bow at the neckline. MORE: Michelle Obama style We love the fact that the classic elements of Reese's striped pullover keep Obama looking appropriate and put together while the

Raf Simons and his team at Jil Sander designed all of the costumes for Swinton's character in the movie, which will be released in Japan on December 23. Photo & source: WWD

Just as Tokyo Fashion Week comes to an end pops-up Tilda Swinton in a deliciously discrete and beautifully envisioned minimal blue knee-length Jil Sander dress from the house's recent Spring 2012 runway collection. According to WWD, "Raf Simons and his team at Jil Sander designed all of the costumes for Swinton's character in the movie 'I Am Love,' which will be released in Japan on December 23." It comes as no surprise as Swinton, the queen startlet of embracing fashion's changing winds, continues to break the mold of banal red carpet dressing with wardrobe choices that not only display her keen eye for avant-garde minded fashion but also manage to deliver a controlled message of high-design meets approachable, confident elegance. SHOP: Jil Sander at Barney's

While animal prints may be as banal and captive of the traditional feminine mystic as polka-dots or bows, there's no denying the subtle sexuality and graphic, ostentatious charge they can add to just about any outfit. >> SHOP: Animal Prints And this Yves Saint Laurent "Softy Chyc" animal-print calf hair shoulder bag brings home the point beautifully with its explosive print and lady-like, heritage minded shape and details. Use it to pump up just about any look from your average "Texas tuxedo" to your everyday trench coat, its destined to lift-up even the most mundane of pieces. -Naveed Hussain >> SHOP: Best Bags We've pulled together a few more options for you to consider: More Topshop...

As hard as it was trying to score this Balenciaga dog print sweater when it first came out for F/W 2000(we've never stopped looking since), an even greater shock comes at the thought of how difficult it's going to be 10 years later, now that it has been reissued for Pre-Fall 2011. As eternally elusive as this trophy sweater may be, we could in turn use it as a reference point for the decade long block of cool cult status Nicolas Ghesquiere has had us under his spell with. -Naveed Hussain Visit Balenciaga.com for more info As featured in Balenciaga's haunting Fall 2000 ad above. Shop some similar finds now: More Givenchy...

Body-defining, figure enhancing peplums have been working their way on quite a few runways over the past few seasons(including next spring) so we couldn't think of a better time to take note on how to incorporate them into your repertoire for an unexpected dose of lady-like chic. We've pulled together some of our favorite uses of peplums for Fall 2011 and jotted a few quick notes down on how to pull them off and make them work for you. >> MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS Stella McCartney (and above) For Fall, Stella McCartney managed to incorporate 80's era touchstones such as bold polka-dots, sculpted shapes and peplums for looks that were achingly feminine with a controlled sense of cool(via ingenious tromp l'oeil patterns)

Besides having Michelle Obama as one of her most ardent celebrity clients, Cuban-born designer Isabel Toledo has been wowing critics and fashion fans including yours truly since she began her eponymous line in the mid-80's with her artisinal-minded, avant-garde confections and her deliberately off-the-radar cult of personality. MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS Leave it to Toledo to debut her Spring 2012 collection just weeks after the fashion-show season has ended and all the way down in Miami...Miami? Well, it makes sense after reading that the event was in conjunction with Vanidades' 6th annual 'Magia de la Moda' fashion event followed by the Fashion Group International honoring Toledo and her husband Ruben with a lifetime achievement award. Here's a breakdown of the show

Because every season calls for a bit of vintage flair we thought it would be a good time to look back at all of our favorite vintage-inspired looks from the Fall 2011 collections to cull a handy bit of inspiration to help you cultivate a look that incorporates notes from the past with a thoroughly modern sophistication. >> MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS And since you can always use real-deal vintage pieces to pull together a completely customized look, we couldn't think of a more practical guide to get you started. From the 40's to the 70's, designers were looking at the past in ways we hadn't ever seen; here's our top picks. Miu Miu (and above) Bringing you 40's starlet glamour as

With head-to-toe prints now de riguer on runways around the world it's time to cozy up to one of our favorite fall prints and fabrications as the alluring, graphic and even sexy use of snake & python we saw for Fall 2011 felt undeniably fresh. >> MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS Use them to add texture to all of your favorite fall looks while keeping up with the trends...here's a look at how to pull it off. Prada (and above) Miuccia Prada used python coats, boots and aviator inspired headpieces to add a subversively sexy and confident bent to her otherwise ultra-femme collection of 60's inspired dolly dresses. Chloe Chloe's mad assortment of snake & python whether in print or in skin offered a

Just as we've been eyeing penny loafers as they gain momentum with the cool-prep inspired girls around town from Alexa Chung to NYU grads as the classic shoes makes sense for these hi/lo sartorial times we live in, comes a smart new collaboration from two of America's foremost preppy outfitters. Leave it to Tommy Hilfiger, the reigning king of collegiate cool, to update the American sweetheart's stand-by, the classic G.H Bass "Weejun" penny loafer, with a canny dose of unexpected quirkiness in an array of offbeat colors and fabrications. Offering a full range of both men's & women's styles fabricated in pony skin, suede and polished leather in a myriad of colors from classic prep( think burgundy, hunter green &

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Adventures in Extremes- The shearling jacket… Rag and Bone or Old Navy

Instant Update- Cover up in the Best Coats of the Season

Fashion How-To’s -Short Heels That Aren’t Short On Style

“The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier” Comes to Dallas this November

Michelle Obama wears a striped Tracy Reese sweater for a bit of French Chic style

Tilda Swinton in Jil Sander Spring 2012

In The Bag- Yves Saint Laurent’s Softy Chyc Animalier Bag

Must-Have…Balenciaga’s Dog Print Sweater

Shopping the Trends of Fall 2011- The Peplum

Isabel Toledo Spring 2012 Runway Collection In Miami

Shopping the Trends of Fall 2011- Vintage Inspired Fashion

Shopping the Trends of Fall 2011- Snakeskin

Get Prepped- Tommy Hilfiger x G.H. Bass and Co.

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